Colossians 4:2 urges us to “devote ourselves to prayer.” But what exactly should we pray for? Colossians 4:3 provides a clear answer: pray for open doors for the gospel.

When someone shares a personal story with you, they are opening a door into their life. These moments are opportunities to connect, to care, and, as God leads, to point them toward Jesus. That’s why I encourage you to start each day with this simple prayer:

“Lord, help me see the people around me today. Give me wisdom to start meaningful conversations and ask good questions. Let me learn at least one new story today. May this conversation be an open door to deeper discussions about Your glory and love.”

Practical Ways to Pray for Open Doors

If you want to grow in prayer and take up the Know Their Story challenge, here are some simple steps to help make prayer a daily habit:

1️⃣ End your quiet time with a prayer for God to open a door for you.

Use the prayer above or one in your own words to start your day intentionally by praying that the Spirit would open a door for you to speak with someone about their story today.

2️⃣ Schedule 5 minutes in your day to pray for eyes to see others with love.

Set an alarm as a reminder to pause and pray for the people you might bump into during your day. This paves the way for conversation, but it also helps put you in the right mindset to open your eyes to the people around you.

3️⃣ Pair prayer with a daily habit.

Tie your prayers to something you already do — like brushing your teeth, making coffee, tying your shoes, or commuting. Each time you do that task say a simple prayer that God would open the door for a spiritual conversation.

4️⃣ Encourage someone else.

Text someone from church, your community group, or Bible study and let them know you’re praying for them as they seek to Know Their Story.

Our God is powerful, and He moves through prayer. Prayer is always to be our first step for anything we want to accomplish. May you experience His power in new ways as you pray for open doors this week!